10 SEC READ: the importance of the forest

‘All the teachers say that spiritual treasure is something one finds alone. So why are we all here together?’ asked a disciple of the Sufi master Nasrudin.

‘You are all here together because a forest is always stronger than a lone tree,’ replied Nasrudin.
‘The forest maintains the humidity in the air, it resists the hurricane, and it helps to make the soil fertile.
‘But what makes a tree strong is its root, and the root of one plant cannot help another plant to grow.

‘Working together towards the same end and allowing each one to grow in his own way, that is the path for those who wish to commune with God.’